Since the company’s first location in 1991 to its current 98 restaurants across the country, Corner Bakery has grown primarily through company owned and operated locations.

CBC was formed last year when Il Fornaio Corp, the California-based operator of the Il Fornaio Italian restaurant and bakery chain, acquired Corner Bakery from Brinker International.

“We were waiting to do it right,†said Mike Hislop, Chairman and C.E.O. of CBC Restaurant Corp. “Over the past several years, we’ve invested heavily in new systems, prototypes and product innovation to ensure a best in class experience for our guests. After just completing our 19th straight quarter of positive comp sales and holding the highest average annual sales volume (almost $2.2 million) of any national bakery cafe brand, we feel we’re in a position to move our franchise program forward at an aggressive pace.â€

Fast-casual dining grows
In October of 2006, CBC Restaurant Corp. launched a strategic franchise development program designed to attract potential franchise partners who have relevant multi-unit restaurant experience and $3 million in non-borrowed cash available. The Rose Group is the 39th largest franchise organization in the United States and currently owns and operates 54 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar units in eastern Pennsylvania, Baltimore and New Jersey. Within the past 12 months alone, it has opened seven new Applebee’s locations and hired more than 700 new employees.

“With an almost 20 percent growth rate in the past 4 years and no signs of slowing down, fast-casual dining is one of the fastest growing segments in our industry,†said Harry T. Rose, chairman and C.E.O. of the Rose Group. “We view this relationship with Corner Bakery Cafe as an important milestone in the growth of our company, giving us the opportunity to expand our current success into the bakery cafe concept.â€